Bareilly: “I don’t want to marry these dowry-greedy people,” a young woman in full bridal attire is heard saying in a video that is now being circulated widely on social media.
The woman set an example for others by calling off her wedding on Friday evening, even as the rituals were on, after the groom demanded a car and Rs 20 lakh in cash.
The police were called in and the groom and two of his relatives were taken into custody, Bhaskar English has reported.
The bride’s family alleged that the groom, Rishabh, a businessman, arrived at a banquet hall near Yugveena Library late on Friday night with the baraat. Just before the pheras, he allegedly demanded a Brezza car and Rs 20 lakh in cash, threatening to call off the wedding if his demands were not met.
The Bhaskar report said that the bride’s family repeatedly tried to reason with him but failed. “We treated him like our son and pleaded with him, but he remained adamant,” the bride’s father, Murli Manohar, has been quoted as saying.
Seeing her family’s helplessness, the bride, Jyoti, refused to go ahead with the marriage. “I don’t want to marry these dowry-greedy people. I cannot spend my life with such a boy who doesn’t respect my family,” she said, breaking down in tears.
“The one who is humiliating my father and brother in front of all the guests for dowry – how will he respect me in the future? I won’t take wedding vows with such a greedy person,” she is heard saying in the video on the News Algebra handle.
The video quickly gained traction, amassing over a million views and prompting a response from Bareilly Police.
“The matter is in the cognisance of the local police. Investigation and necessary legal proceedings are being conducted,” it was posted in the official handle of Bareilly Police.
Several social media users reacted to the incident, lauding the woman for her bold decision.
“It takes strength to cancel a wedding. It takes even more strength to protect your parents’ dignity in public. This is feminism in action. Actual female empowerment looks like this, not in slogans but in reality,” one user wrote.
“I fully agree, and i think this dowry system should be over permanently, both the families should sit and decide upon equal expenses, why the family of the girl should be taking most of the expenses,” another posted.
Jyoti’s father Murli Manohar told reporters that the marriage was fixed about eight months ago through a matchmaker, Indrapal, a resident of Siklapur.
“At the time of fixing the marriage, the groom’s father told us to send our daughter with just one pair of clothes and said they did not want dowry,” he said.
The engagement ceremony was held in May at a city hotel, at which the family spent nearly Rs 3 lakh, he said.
“We also gave the groom a gold ring, a chain and Rs 5 lakh in cash. After that, their demands never stopped. We kept fulfilling them, thinking at least our daughter would be happy,” Bhaskar quoted Manohar as saying.
He further claimed that on Thursday, a day before the wedding, they visited the groom’s house with the wedding invitation and handed over several items, including an air conditioner, refrigerator, washing machine, household goods, jewellery, and Rs 1.2 lakh in cash.
“The wedding venue itself was very expensive, but we booked it at the groom’s family’s insistence,” Manohar said.
